Surface cleaning apparatus

Abstract

A hand vacuum cleaner has an air treatment stage positioned below an inlet conduit. A pistol grip handle is provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner. An arm member extends from the inlet conduit linearly rearwardly to the upper end of the pistol grip handle. A housing is provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle. All operating components of the hand vacuum cleaner are located between a lower end of the housing and the inlet conduit.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end having a dirty air inlet, a rear end, an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, wherein a suction motor is provided in the air flow path, the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation; 
 (b) an air treatment stage having a front end and a rear end, the air treatment stage comprising a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment stage, wherein the cyclone and the suction motor are in a fixed position with respect to each other at all times while the hand vacuum cleaner is in use to clean a surface; 
 (c) an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the air treatment stage, the inlet conduit provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner and above the cyclone axis of rotation when the hand vacuum cleaner is positioned with the cyclone axis of rotation extends horizontally with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner; 
 (d) a pistol grip handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner, the pistol grip handle has a hand grip around which all fingers of a user are wrapped when the user holds the hand vacuum cleaner and the hand grip is the sole hand grip around which the user may wrap their fingers; 
 (e) an arm member extending rearwardly from the inlet conduit to an upper end of the pistol grip handle, the inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis that extends through the arm member; and, 
 (f) a housing provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle, 
 wherein all operating components of the hand vacuum cleaner are located between a lower end of the housing and the inlet conduit, and 
 wherein the cyclone axis of rotation intersects the pistol grip handle and the motor axis of rotation intersects a central portion of the pistol grip handle. 
 
     
     
       2. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein all of the operating components of the hand vacuum cleaner are located between a lower end of the housing and a lower side of the inlet conduit. 
     
     
       3. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  further comprising an enclosed finger grip area provided forward of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
       4. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 3  wherein the enclosed finger grip area is provided below the arm member and above the housing. 
     
     
       5. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is openable. 
     
     
       6. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 5  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
       7. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
       8. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the cyclone axis of rotation extends horizontally with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, a dirt collection chamber underlies the cyclone. 
     
     
       9. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 1  wherein, when the cyclone axis of rotation extends horizontally with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, a lower end of the air treatment stage is positioned below the lower end of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
       10. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end having a dirty air inlet, a rear end, an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, wherein a suction motor is provided in the air flow path, the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation; 
 (b) an air treatment stage having a front end and a rear end, the air treatment stage comprising a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment stage, wherein the cyclone and the suction motor are in a fixed position with respect to each other at all times while the hand vacuum cleaner is in use to clean a surface; 
 (c) an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the air treatment stage, the inlet conduit provided at the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner; 
 (d) a pistol grip handle provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner; 
 (e) an arm member extending rearwardly from the inlet conduit to an upper end of the pistol grip handle, the inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis that extends through the arm member; 
 (f) a housing provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle; and, 
 (g) a finger grip area provided forward of the pistol grip handle, below the arm member and above the housing, wherein the pistol grip handle has a hand grip around which all fingers of a user are wrapped when the user holds the hand vacuum cleaner, the fingers extend through the hand grip area when the user holds the hand vacuum cleaner and the hand grip is the sole hand grip around which the user may wrap their fingers, 
 wherein the cyclone is located below the inlet conduit and wherein the cyclone axis of rotation intersects the pistol grip handle and the motor axis of rotation intersects a central portion of the pistol grip handle. 
 
     
     
       11. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein all operating components of the hand vacuum cleaner are located below the inlet conduit. 
     
     
       12. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is openable. 
     
     
       13. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 12  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
       14. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the front end of the air treatment stage is at the front end of the hand vacuum cleaner. 
     
     
       15. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein the cyclone axis of rotation intersects the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
       16. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 10  wherein, when the cyclone axis of rotation extends horizontally with the upper end of the hand vacuum cleaner above the lower end of the hand vacuum cleaner, a lower end of the air treatment stage is positioned below the lower end of the pistol grip handle. 
     
     
       17. A hand vacuum cleaner having a front end having a dirty air inlet, a rear end, an upper end and a lower end, the hand vacuum cleaner comprising:
 (a) an air flow path extending from the dirty air inlet to a clean air outlet, with a suction motor provided in the air flow path, the suction motor has a motor axis of rotation; 
 (b) an air treatment stage having a front end and a rear end, the air treatment stage comprising a cyclone having a cyclone axis of rotation extending between the front and rear ends of the air treatment stage, wherein the cyclone and the suction motor are in a fixed position with respect to each other at all times while the hand vacuum cleaner is in use to clean a surface; 
 (c) an inlet conduit extending rearwardly from the dirty air inlet to the air treatment stage, the inlet conduit provided at the upper end of the air treatment stage; 
 (d) a pistol grip handle having an upper end and a lower end, wherein the upper end and the lower end are provided at the rear end of the hand vacuum cleaner rearward of the air treatment member and the suction motor, wherein the longitudinal axis intersects the suction motor and the pistol grip handle; 
 (e) an arm member extending rearwardly from the inlet conduit to an upper end of the pistol grip handle, the inlet conduit having an inlet conduit axis that extends through the arm member; 
 (f) a housing provided at a lower end of the pistol grip handle; and, 
 (g) a finger grip area provided forward of the pistol grip handle and below the arm member, wherein the pistol grip handle has a hand grip around which all fingers of a user are wrapped when the user holds the hand vacuum cleaner, the fingers extend through the hand grip area when the user holds the hand vacuum cleaner and the hand grip is the sole hand grip around which the user may wrap their fingers,
 wherein the cyclone axis of rotation intersects the pistol grip handle and the motor axis of rotation intersects a central portion of the pistol grip handle. 
 
 
     
     
       18. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the cyclone is an extension of the inlet conduit. 
     
     
       19. The hand vacuum cleaner of  claim 17  wherein the cyclone is directly connected to the inlet conduit.